Man shot to death after hatchet attack

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. -- A man who posted bail, then broke into his ex-wife's home and attacked her family with a hatchet was shot to death early Thursday by her boyfriend, authorities said.

The man, who was not identified, had been in custody for violating a restraining order by breaking into the home Sunday and assaulting the woman and their 10-year-old daughter, Orange County Sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino said. He was freed after posting $25,000 bail.

Authorities said the man broke into the house again at about 1 a.m. Thursday and tried to make the girl drink some sort of caustic liquid.

When his ex-wife's parents stopped him, he began swinging a hatchet at them, Amormino said. The older man grabbed a gun but was hit. The boyfriend was also hit but got a shotgun and fatally shot the intruder, authorities said.